Automatic farm and yard gate



(No Model.)

MA L.` HAWKS.

AUTOMATIG FARM AND YARD GATE.

No.`267,888. Patented Nov. 21, 1882.

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l `UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MOSES L. HAWKS, OF OVID, BRANCH COUNTY, ,MICHIGAN `AUTOMATIC FARM AND YARD GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 267,888, dated November 21, 1882.

Application tiled April 10, 1882. (No model.)

, panying drawings, is a specification.

drawn back and forth, one ofthe said bars be-` In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a closed gate embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a section thereof in `the plane of the line of Fig. 3, viewed in the direction indicated by thearrow there shown', and Fig., 3 is a top or plan view of the gate in its open position.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts.

A represents the gate proper.

B is a center standard. This standard consists of two vertical posts, C C, upon the upper ends of which `is secured a horizontal bar, D, connecting those ends, and projecting laterally therefrom, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3.

E is a horizontal roller, turning in bearings in the posts C C. This roller is centrally grooved, as indicated at a, Fig. 2.

F is an extension-standard, the upper end of which is forked; and G is a horizontal roller, turning on spindles bearing in the forked arms or extensions of the standard F. The roller G has a central annular groove, and is in all respects like the roller E, excepting that the latter is the larger roller ordinarily.

H H are extension-bars projecting from one end of the gate, and arranged to ride or move in the groove of the roller G when the gate is ing above and the other below the said roller. The roller E also passes between two bars of the gate and supports the same. The gate, therefore, is hung movably and supported upon the rollers E and G.

I is a post against which the gate closes. One ot the gatebars-b, for example-projects through a slot in the post I, so that the gate, when closed, will thereby be supported.

The gate, as thus far described, is a sliding gate and I am aware that there are many such constructedl in various Ways, and I do not therefore here intend to claim the same broadly, as my invention relates to the means employed for the purpose of shifting the gate, which means I will now particularly describe.

straddle the lower ends of the links K K and enter the said levers. M M are hooks on the inner ends of the` said levers, and N N are links depending from the said hooks.

O is a flat metallic plate, sufficiently thickA or heavy to perform the function of retaining the outer ends of thelevers J J in their raised position. The links NN are jointed to a cross bar or rod, c, passing through the 'weight O from side to side, and projecting into vertical grooves made in the inner faces or sides of the' posts C C, and c c are anti-friction rollers upon the ends of the rod c, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2.

P P are arms through which the rod c also passes.

Q is a rod connecting the arms P P in front of one end of the weight O, and also connecting the said arms rigidly to the said weight. This rod Q projects a little way laterally from the arms P P, and R R are arms pivoted to the said projecting ends, and also to the inner faces of the uprights or standards C C.

S is a loop pivoted to the outer ends of the arms P P, and the cross-bar d of this loop lies in a slot, T, in the upper bar of the gate. In the slot T are the hooks c c', bent or turned in opposite directions, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. When the gate is in its closed position, as indicated in Fig. l, the arms P P lie horizontally and the loop S rests in the hook e, thus locking the gate in its closed position, or so that it cannot be pushed open, for, as will be perceived, the attempt to push the gate open would tend to push the link S back and raise the arms P P; but the arms P P cannot be so raised, forthey are then tied by the arms R R, and by reason of their position and the position of rod c with relation to the top of the gate. In order to open the gate it is only necessary for a person in a carriage or Wagon to grasp the depending handlesff on the outer ends of the levers J J and draw them down. This will raise the weight O, throw down those ends of the arms P P to which the loop S is connected, and draw the loop out of the hook e and against the adjacent end of the slot T, thereby shifting the gate from its closed position to the posi- IOO 2 ecmsss tion it occupies when nearly open-that is, the momentum so imparted to it carries its center past the central standard, B. The position of the arms PP, RB., and theloop S, is thus shifted from one side of the central standard to the other, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the loop rests in the slot T. In order to completely open the gate, the levers J J are drawn down until the loop S reaches that end of the slot T which is farthest from the central standard. If the levers then be drawn down slightly, the crossbar of the loop Will retreat, and a slight up movement of the levers J J will cause the loop -S to enter the hook e', and a continued up movement of the outer ends of the levers will carry the gate Vto its completelyopened position, as the loop S will then push against the hook e' and carry the gate to that position. The gate-shifting mechanism will then occupy the same position as when the gate was closed,

excepting thatthe arms P P, R It, and loop S will be upon the other side of the'central standard instead of upon the side to which they are drawn when the gate is closed, and the loop S is in the hook e instead of the hook e. In order to close the gate, I proceed as when openin g it.

It will be perceived that the arms P P, It R, and loop S form what may he termed a toggle,77 locking the gate in its open or closed positions against any attempt to then move it by pushing upon it in either direction, and at the same time permitting it to be openedor closed d to extend nearly to the center of the gate.

In fact, this cross-bar may pass through the central portion of the upper bar of the gate, in Which case that bar need not be slotted at all. I do not therefore here intend to be regarded as restricting myself either to the hooks e e or to the slot T.

I am s aware that farm-gates of this class have heretofore been shifted from one side to the other of central standards or fixed posts by means of jointed levers, some of which followed or moved With the gate, so that the same set of levers would both open and close it alternately, and I do not therefore here intend to claim the same broadly; but,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, With a sliding eXtension-gate and its operating-levers J J, of a toggle-like shifting device, linked or hinged to standard B, the arms B. B, pivoted to the arms P P and to the main or central standard, and of the loop or link S, pivoted to the arms P P and to thegate, all operating together, substantially as and for the. purpose specified.

2. The combination of a sliding extensiongate, A, having therein the slot T, a central standard, B, operating-levers J J, the links N N, the arms P P, connected to the links N N, the cross-har c, projecting into vertical grooves in the standards C C, the arms B R, pivoted to the said standards and to the arms P P, and the link S, pivoted to the armsP P, and arranged in the slot T, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of a sliding extensiongate, A, having therein the slot T, and provided With the hooks e and e', located in the said slot, a central standard, B, operating-levers J J, the links vN N, the arms P P, connected to the links N N, the cross-bar c, projecting into vertical grooves in the standards C G, and there provided With rollers c c', the arms B B, pivoted to the saidstandards and to the arms P P, and the link S, pivoted to the arms P P, and arranged in the slot T, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

N. GoWLEs, H. FRANKFURTER. 

